Lots of arcade-related things to do and no time...

October was the last time I've done anything arcade-related. With the holidays, my busy work schedule and the weather-I just haven't had time to do anything significant with my games. I started my multi-rotary cab and ran into some problems, so that has been sitting. I bought a free-play button contraption for my Crystal Castles and that has yet to be installed. I need to cap the monitor in my Time Pilot and I've been pushing it off. I bought a Neo Geo cabinet and I want to restore it as well. This is the part of the hobby that keeps everyone full of projects and feeling like they never get caught up...

My New Neo Geo Cabinet!

Thanks to a few KLOV members, I now have a Neo Geo MVS-2!!  David made the long trip from New Jersey to Pittsburgh to pick up the Karate Champ I sold him and, along the way, picked up the Neo Geo that I bought from Mike in York, PA.

It came with Metal Slug 4 and Street Slam, but I'll be picking up the 161 in 1 multicart for it shortly.  The monitor needs to be capped and needs adjusted- the red and green are out of whack.  It will also need a reproduction control panel overlay that I'll pick up from Quarter Arcade.  Even though Mike threw in a 2-slot marquee for it, it's too long and not tall enough.  I'll need to find another one to fit.  Here's a quick pic of it:

I've met a lot of people in this hobby and have made some good friends over the last 4 years, and this was no different.  David and his wife were a pleasure and what a great thing to do for me picking this game up in York.  I only wish we all had more time to hang out, but David didn't get back home until 1:30 AM.  Now that's dedication!

My First Arcade Game Is On Its Way Out...

Many other collectors in the hobby have told me that eventually you have to make tough decisions about games that don't get played, even if it's a game you personally love.  Karate Champ is one of those games.  I play it, but that's about it.  I recently moved Karate Champ out of the game room and back into the garage to put Mario Bros. in its place.  I put it up for sale on the KLOV forums and got a buyer almost immediately.  Arrangements have been made and the buyer will be picking up the game tomorrow.  Although I am happy that I was able to sell it so quickly, I am also a bit sad to see it go.  Nostalgia runs deep with this one.  It was a favorite of mine that I vividly remember playing back in the day at the local arcades.  It was also the first game I purchased as a collector 4 years ago.  But, as other the collectors mentioned, a tough decision had to be made.  I'm sure I'll have a Karate Champ again down the road, but for now it has to be replaced.  So long, old friend- you will be missed.

Mario Bros. Ready To Move In!

Over the last few weekends, I was able to dig into my Mario Bros.  I tore down the control panel and found that only the screws were missing on the joystick restrictor plate, so the "8-way" feel has been corrected back to the "2-way" joysticks.  I also stripped the control panel and applied the screen printed repro overlay from Quarter Arcade.

There was a lot of rust on the panel and it took a good bit of work with the wire wheel to clean it up.  Damn, the original overlay was hard to remove! After Citristrip, I had to go to the serious stuff (Strypeeze) and that didn't even take all the residue off. After about an hour, the wire wheel prevailed and the new overlay was installed.

I ordered the true, flat t-molding and, after an incident where I almost cut the tip of my thumb off, it's now installed.  I cleaned up the coin door and wired it up properly. There is a hole drilled in the door, which looks to be from a credit button. I'll deal with it for now, but I'll be on the look out for a top door for this.  I'll be picking up the Braze High Score Save kit for this shortly.  It saves the top 5 scores and adds free play to the game.

The last thing that I'm struggling with is the sides. At first, I said I would definitely redo the sides and install new side art. Then, after the kids wanted me to hurry up and finish it, I said "screw it" and deemed the sides decent enough. After installing the t-molding, I'm back to thinking the sides deserve to be refinished and side art installed... decisions, decisions...

Mario Bros. Pick Up!

I got a message from a friend on the KLOV forums that there was a nice Mario Bros. widebody cabinet about an hour and a half from me, so I gave the guy a call who had it.  After a short conversation and a few texts, we agreed on a price and I picked this baby up last night!  Here's the pic that I took at 10 PM after I got home:

The guy I picked it up from has been an arcade tech for a local operator for about 20 years.  He rebuilt the monitor and capped the sound board- this puppy looks great.  Now just a little bit of cosmetic work to be done: new control panel overlay, correct buttons, coin door swap, t-molding and side art.

Both of my boys were playing the next morning in their pajamas before I went off to work.  This one is a keeper!

Time Pilot Is Finished!

Time Pilot was the second game that I bought when I started collecting back in 2009. I have awesome memories of this game from back in the day and always wanted to have a nice one in my collection. I picked one up from a local collector for cheap but the game was pretty beat- horribly hacked control panel, chunks of cab missing, bad slashes in the woodgrain sides, hacked wiring, etc:

A few months later, I came across a Centuri cab in pretty decent shape. It was a converted Vanguard with a swiss cheese control panel, but the monitor was crisp and the woodgrain sides were nice. So I swapped cabs and that now houses my Time Pilot. At that point, me and a few other KLOV members attempted to repro the side art. Follow that story here: http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=204615

In the months to follow, I traded for a bootleg cpo and "customized" the control panel with a yellow Wico joystick and button colors to match the bootleg overlay. Eventually, I'll look for the correct Monroe joystick, but for now I think the yellow Wico looks sweet:

I found a nice marquee and began work on a repro Time Pilot bezel, which I finished in Jan. 2011 and installed.  I received the Time Pilot art package from Rich at This Old Game- the art really looks amazing! I was a bit worried since the box was almost bent in half, but there are only minor wrinkles in the art that weren't a problem at all.  I had a bit of time one night to install the front, kick art and one side while the kids were playing in the driveway. Rich's products are top notch and this art is no exception. Beautiful, bright colors and perfectly sized.

Here's one side after I got it on and put all of those damn carriage bolts back in:

 Once I finished up the second side, I re-painted all the black areas on the inside bezel area and the bottom front to freshen it up.  I then installed the offset t-molding.  Here's the game completed.  I couldn't be happier about how it turned out!

Hurry Up and Wait!

May and early June is a difficult time for me and my hobby- the weather is turning, yard work needs to be done, the kids' school and activities are winding down, etc.  So many of those things take precedence over my arcade restoration plans.  I get to spend a few minutes here and there changing out a bad connector, wiring up a switcher or cleaning a control panel- but for the most part, I play the waiting game until... Father's Day!  Ah yes, Dad's Day is the turning point in my summer arcade restoration hobby.  Sure, much time will be spent with the family on that day and days to follow but just about everything else is finished.  The major yard work will be done, the kids' school is out, their activities are over and our everyday life "slows down."

So until that precious day, I've been hurrying to accumulating parts, doing restoration research, scouring Craigslist, etc.

Sorcerer is here!

I’m not a pin guy, but I played my fair share in the arcades BITD. I vividly remember playing Comet, Haunted House and Space Shuttle at the local bowling alley. I always dropped a few bucks into them and enjoyed them, but never as much as video games. A few of my buddies and I got to talking how “everyone needs at least one pin” and that was it. After hours and hours of thought, I’ve decided I didn’t necessarily need one of the 3 pins above, but I did want one from the 80’s. So I narrowed it down and my criteria was this:

- $600-$800 price range
- 1980’s era- a bit obscure but with decent art- preferred themes are prehistoric or medieval
- PG rated since I have little kids

I was on the lookout for a pinball machine shortly thereafter, and this past weekend I picked up a Williams Sorcerer. Out of the 80's pins that I earmarked, Sorcerer was #2 on my list! I picked it up from a local pinhead and set it up in the garage for the time being. I've got to say, I do love it! The playfield, the backglass, the sounds, the game play- it all takes me back to the 80's. My kids have enjoyed it as well so far. I'd love to get a few more pins, but I just don't have the space. I'll be more than happy with this one for now!

Surprise at the Home & Garden Show

Today, the family and I attended the Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show. The kids weren't all that excited- and frankly neither was I. It was a pleasant surprise to find a bunch of decent vendors along with Pinball Perfection! Pinball Perfection is a Pittsburgh based pinball retail outlet. I chatted with the owner for a bit and snapped a pic:

February is gone already...

Even with it being a Leap Year, February still flew by. Nothing really happening that's arcade-related except I ended up getting the monitor fixed in my Pac cabaret. It looks great, but it's still stuck in the garage until I make a decision whether or not the couch is staying in the game room. I'm still on the lookout for a pinball machine as well. There have been a bunch of Craigslist ads recently, but nothing of real interest. Spring is around the corner and garage cleaning (and arcade re-organizing) is close behind.

The Holidaze

I try to post something every month, either arcade or game room related. But, there's really nothing to report over the last month or so. Winter, the Holidays and my travel schedule make it tough for me to do anything to my games or my game room. I did get a few of my CGC comics framed for the one wall in my game room, but that's about it. My search continues for a Neo Geo (mini preferably) and a mid to late 80's pinball machine in this new year. I'm in no hurry and I want to wait until the right deal comes along.